Garment



Nov. 24, 1936. CHATFlELD 2,062,161

GARMENT Filed May 25, 1935.

I=EANKL //v CHAT/7151.0

Arroeflenr F/C-IZ I Patented Nov. 24,1936

GARMENT Franklin Chatfleld, Minneapo PATENT OFFICE} Minn assignor to The Munsingwear Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application May 25, 1935, Serial No. 23,396 Claims, (01. 2- 224) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in garments of the general type having fly openings, and an object of the invention is to provide an improved buttonless fly opening which is particularly applicable for snug fitting garments, as it will not gap open, although it may be used in all types of garments requiring .a fly p v A further object is to provide an under garment having a fly opening, one edge of which is substantially vertically disposed, and the other edge of which is disposed at an incline, thereby to prevent the fly opening from opening when the garment is worn.

5 A further object is to provide agarment comprising a body portion having an insert in the "front portion thereof, one edge of which extends upwardly at an incline from a point above the crotch, and is unsecured, and a second insert overlying a portion of said first mentioned insert v and having one edge portion substantially vertically disposed and cooperating with said inclined unsecured edge to provide a fly opening for the The outstanding feature of the invention thereof is to provide a buttonless, non-gapping fly opening which may be manufactured at small cost, and may readily be embodied in all types of garments requiring a fly opening. Y

. Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawing there has been disclosed a'structure designed to carry out ,the'various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to, the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claimswhich follow.

In the drawing! 7 Figure 1 is a front view of a garment showing the invention embodied in the construction thereof;

Figure 2 is a similar view, partially broken 45 away, to show the unsecured inclined edge of the insert which provides the concealed edge of the y p Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing the fly opening partially open; and Figure 4 is a view showing a fly opening of slightly modified construction.

In the selected embodiment of the invention here shown, for purposes of disclosure, there is.

illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a garment comprising a body portion 2, preferably provided at its upper portion with an elastic waist band 3, and

. having suitable leg openings 4.

An important feature of the invention resides in the unique construction of the fly opening provided in the front of the garment,'which is so constructed that it cannot gap or open, even though the material constituting the body of the garment is subjected to tension, as in a snug or close fitting garment.

To construct the novel fly opening herein disclosed, 'aninsert 5 is preferably embodied in the construction of the front of the garment and has one of its upright edges secured to the body of the garment by suitable stitching 6. The insert 5 is preferably shaped as best shown in Figure 2, wherein it will be noted that the lower right hand corner thereof, when viewed as shown in the above figure, is cut off, thereby to provide an inclined edge I which constitutes the inner edge of the fly opening. The edge I is reinforced in the usual manner by a suitable henr to prevent the material from raveling. The upper right hand edge portion of the insert 5 is secured to the body of the garment by stitching 8, and its upper edge may be suitably secured in place by stitching 9, which also secures the waist band 3 to the body of the garment. The lower portion of the insert 5 is secured to the crotch portion III ofthe garment by stitching ll.

sert 5 and has its right edge portion secured to the body of the garment by the stitching 8, which extends from the waist band 3 to the leg opening 4, at the right hand side of the garment, when viewed as-shown in Figures 1 and 2. The upper edge of the insert [2 is secured by..the stitching 9 and the lower portion thereof by the stitching II.

The insert [2 is shown relatively narrower in, width than the insert 5, and has a vertically disposed edge l3 which extends upwardly from a point above the crotch to the waist band 3, at the upper portion of the garment. The upper portion of the insert I2 is secured to the inse t 5 at the center of the garment, by suitable stitching Ill and I5, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, whereby the lower portion of the edge l3 of the insert I2 is unfastened, and provides the outer edge of A fly opening constructed in accordance with i the invention herein disclosed, cannot readily open, when the garment is'in use, becauseof the unique arrangement of the inclined inner edge 1, which, because of being disposed in the particular manner shown and described, is always maintained substantially taut, and'will therefore lie smoothly against the body. Also, because of the inclined unsecured edge I of the insert 5 ex- ,tending from a point above the crotch to the seam I at the side of the garment, and having its upper end terminating substantially in horizontalalinement with the lower row of stitches ii, any tension imparted to the body of tlh garment will tend to close the fly opening, rather than open it, which is a very desirable feature in garments of this general character.-

Constructing'the fly opening by means of inserts secured to the front of the garment, as herein set forth, does not increase the cost of manufact-ure, as compared to garments having fly openings of ordinary construction. The improved fly opening provided, also does not require buttons or other fastening means for keeping it closed. The inserts 5 and 12, in addition to providing an improved fly opening, also strengthen the, front of the garment, without causing it to become bulky and uncomfortable to wear.

The fly openingextends from the seam II to the row of stitches l5, clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, and because of the lower edge of the inner edge I thereof terminating adjacent to the cen- -ter of the garment, but beneath the outer edge opening might be constructed without the use of a the inserts 5 and I2, by simply overlapping portions of the material constituting the body of the garment in a manner to provide the inner inclined edge I and the outer edge l3.

In Figure 4, there is shown the front of a garment in which inserts I6 and i1 cooperate to provide the fly opening. These inserts are sub stantially alike in configuration, with the exception that one is right hand and the other left hand. The upright outer edges of the two inserts are secured to the ,body of the garment by stitching l8, and their upper horizontal edges are secured to the waist band 3 by the seam 9. The lower edges of the inserts l6 and ll are secured to the crotch portion it of the garment by the stitching ll.

In the form shown in Figure 4, it will be noted that the inserts l6 and I! are provided with inclined edges l9 and 20, respectively, which cooperate to provide the edges of the fly opening. The twoinserts are arranged in overlapping relation,'as shown, andthe edges, and 20 thereof are unsecured, whereby the fly opening may readily be opened in substantially the same manner as shown and described with reference to the previous figures. I

The form shown in Figure 4 is comparatively simple in construction and does not require any stitching at the top central portion of they garment, as shown by the numerals II and .l! in Figure 1. The inserts l6 and I! are overlapped in substantially the same manner as the inserts i and I2, shown in Figures 1 and 2, and, in addition to providing the fly opening, also reiiforce and strengthen the front of the garment. It will also be noted that a fly openingeonstructed as shown in-Figure 4, will always remain closed, when the garment is worn, because any tension applied to the fabric ormaterial from which the substantially the same manner as the inserts i6 and I1. When thus constructed, the overlapped portions of the material are provided with inclined edges corresponding to the inclined edges 1-! 20 of the inserts l6 and I1.

I claim as my invention:

1. Ina garment of the character described a body portion having a-crotch and leg openings, and overlapping front sections extending upwardly from a point above. the crotch to the waist line of the garment, said front sections being stitched together along their top edges" and along their bottom'edges, the overlying front section having an upwardly extending side edge, the upper portion of said edge being stitched to the underlying section and the lower portion of said edge being free, the underlying front section having a free edge portion extending diagonally upward opposite the free side edge portion of the overlying section to a point opposite the bottom of the stitching along the upper side edge'portion of the overlying section, the edge of the upper part of the underlying section above the free diagonal edge portion being stitched to the overlying section, the respective free edge portions of the overlapping-sections defining a concealed fly opening.

2. In a garment of the character described, a body portion having a crotch and leg openings, and overlapping front sections extending from a point above the crotch to the waist line of the garment, said sections being stitched together along their top edges and their bottom edges, the,

overlying section having a vertical edge portion located substantially medially of the front of the garment above the crotch, the underlying section extending well beyond the middle ,ofthe garment andterminating above one of the leg openings, stitching connecting the inner end of the underlying section to the overlying section, a concealed inclined. side edge portionon the underlying section extending downwardly and inwardly from the terminal end of the underlying section to meet the stitching along the bottom ends of the'sections close to the vertical edge of the overlying section, the'inclined edge portion a of the underlying section and the opposing lower vertical side edge portion of the overlying section being unsecured and defining a concealed fly opening.

3. In a garment of the class described, a body portion having a crotch, leg openings and overlapping front sections, a waist band at the upper end of the body portion, said overlapping front sections extending from the waist band to a point above the crotch, one of said front sections terminating in a vertical edge located substantially medially of the front of the garment above the crotch, the second front section extending well across the front of the garment beyond the vertical edge of the first section and inits upper area at and adjacent the waist band making a wide area of overlap with the first section, stitching securing the upper overlapping areas of the front sections together but leaving the lower portion of the vertical edge of the first section free, an inwardly and downwardly inclined free edge portion on the second section forming with the free lower vertical edge portion of the first section a substantially triangular free lower area of overlap between the sections and providing a concealed fly opening. and stitching secm'ing together the lower ends of the front sections.

4. In a garment of the class described, a main body portion having a crotch and leg openings, a continuous circumferential waist band atthe upper end of the body portion, overlapping sections in the frontof the garment 'supported by and extending downwardly from the waist band to a point above the crotch, the overlying front section terminating in a vertical edge located substantially medially of the front of the garment above the crotch, the underlying front section extending well across the front of the garment beyond the vertical edge of the overlying section, a vertical edge on the underlying section in the upper area of overlap, means securing the sections together in their upper, areaof overlap but leaving said sections free in their lower area of overlap, and an inclined free edge portion on the underlying section extending downwardly from the lower end of the vertical edge of said section and inwardly to meet the bottom of said section adjacent the lower end of the vertical edge of the overlying section, the sections being secured together at the meeting point of the vertical and inclined edge portions of the underlying section.

5. In a garment of the class described, a main body portion having a crotch and leg openings,

a waist band at the upper end of the body portion, said'body portion constituting the rear portion of the garment and including portions extending beyond the sides into the front, overlapping front panels seamed to the respective side edges of said extending portions supported by and extending downwardly from the waist band to a point above the crotch, the overlying front panel terminating in a vertical edge located substantially medially of the garment above the crotch, the underlying front section extending well. across the front of the garment beyond the-vertical edge of the overlapping section and in its upper area at and adjacent the waist band making a wide area of overlap with the overlying section, an inclined free edge portion on the underlying section extending downwardly from the wide upper area of overlap and inwardly. to meet the bottom of said section adjacent the lower end of the vertical edge of the overlying section, the vertical edge of the over-' lying section in the lower area of overlap opposite the inclined edge portion of the underlying section being free and forming with saidinclined edge portion a substantially triangular concealed fly opening, and means above the fly opening joining the overlapping sections in their upper wide area of overlap.

' FRANKHN CHATFIELD. 

